Choices for Transporation of the Wedding Cake to the Reception

After all the wedding cake planning and ordering is done, the last task is actually getting the cake physically to the wedding reception on the big day. There are several factors to consider when deciding on the best way to transport the wedding cake.

Ask your Bakery if they can Deliver the Cake to your Wedding
The easiest and safest way to get the cake to the reception is by using the services of the bakery that made the cake. They have experience in handling wedding cakes and will be familiar with the properties of your particular cake.

Not all bakeries offer this option, so make sure to ask about it long before the wedding so you can make alternate arrangements if they don’t deliver. If they do deliver, find out how long you need to book the services in advance, ask what additional charges there are for delivery, and ask about their guarantee that the cake will show up on time and intact.

Transporting the Cake Yourself

If bakery delivery is not an option for you, you should take this into consideration even before you order the cake. Some cakes have soft fillings which can be a bigger challenge to transport. The filling can be ‘slippery’ and the layers may have a tendency to slide apart with rough handling. Especially with tiered wedding cakes , mousse fillings or curd fillings are more challenging to handle. Consider avoiding these types of fillings if you will need to drive the cake to the reception yourself. Cakes with jam, icing or ganache based fillings are less prone to slipping and are easier to transport. Fondant icing on the outside helps to stabilize a cake and makes it a little easier to handle. Sheet Style Wedding Cakes are less prone to damage while transporting, although they can be challenging to place in a vehicle because they take up more surface area.

Storage of the Wedding Cake Once it Arrives

After the cake arrives at the reception, efforts must be taken to keep the cake cool before it is put out on display. Ask your reception venue about refrigeration access for the cake. Fridge space may be limited if you have a very tall or wide wedding cake. See if you can book the fridge space ahead of time to ensure there is a spot to store the cake.

If refrigeration isn’t an option, and the cake will arrive hours before the reception, have a Styrofoam container ready to place the cake in to shelter it from the heat of the room. Make sure the container is big enough to handle the cake and has easy access to get the cake into and out of.